Colorado River water delivered by CAP is powerful. It flows from faucets, waters crops and serves businesses, elevating our quality of life and propelling our economy.
Did you know that CAP, a 336-mile system that moves water from the Colorado River near Lake Havasu to the terminus just south of Tucson, delivers the state’s single largest renewable water supply and serves 80% of the state’s population?
The CAP system: a reliable water supply
The CAP system provides both delivery and storage of Colorado River water and includes:
- The Lake Pleasant storage reservoir;
- 14 pumping plants that lift water, uphill, nearly 3,000 feet overall;
- One hydroelectric pump-generating plant;
- 39 radial gate structures to control water flow;
- More than 50 turnouts to deliver water to central and southern Arizona.
Lake Pleasant water level
Water stored in Lake Pleasant comes from two main sources: the Colorado River via the CAP canal and runoff from the Agua Fria River. CAP pumps Colorado River water into Lake Pleasant during the fall and winter months and releases water during the spring and summer to meet higher demands.
